Day 1 – Welcome to the Enchanted Islands

Upon your arrival to the Galapagos Islands, you meet your driver at the airport exit and start your journey from the airport on Baltra Island to the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island.

First, you take a bus from the airport to the Itabaca Channel that separates the two islands. You cross the channel by ferry. During the short navigation from Baltra to Santa Cruz, you have the chance to observe sea birds fishing. Then your driver takes you from the north coast of Santa Cruz Island to the town of Puerto Ayora in the south. The drive takes approximately 45 minutes and leads through the island’s lush highlands.

Your driver drops you at your hotel that is located at walking distance to the port, the main avenue, many restaurants and the dive shop.

You can spend the afternoon at your leisure. We recommend a visit to the interpretation center and the breeding center for giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Station.

In the evening, you have to stop by the dive shop to try on your diving gear, sign the release form and receive important information about tomorrow’s diving day trip.

Accommodation in Puerto Ayora.

Day 2 – Galapagos Underwater Magic

After an early breakfast, you head out to meet your guide and other divers to start today’s diving adventure. As most dive sites lie in the north, you first drive to the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island by car and board the diving boat at Itabaca Channel. If you go to a southern dive site like Floreana, you board the boat directly in Puerto Ayora. The navigation to the dive site usually takes 45-90 minutes.

As you get closer to the first dive site, your guide briefs you on the site and the dive that you are about to do. At around 10 AM, you enjoy your first Galapagos dive. You explore the abundant marine wildlife during approximately one hour.

You get back on board and while you warm up, the boat usually navigates a short distance to a second dive site. At around noon, you enjoy a second dive.

After about one hour, you get back on board, dry off and enjoy lunch. While navigating back to Santa Cruz Island, you can exchange stories with your fellow divers and ask your guide questions. You will be back at the dive shop in Puerto Ayora at around 3 PM. There, you can update your log book, check out the pictures and videos of the dives and receive information for tomorrow’s diving day trip.

Accommodation in Puerto Ayora.

Day 3 – Exploring the Galapagos Waters

Today you go on another diving day tour to further explore the Galapagos marine wildlife by doing two more dives. In Galapagos, you have the chance to swim with turtles, sea lions, rays, sharks and other fish. If you are lucky, you might encounter manta rays and/or hammerhead sharks.

There are seven different diving day trips from Puerto Ayora. We send you the list of available dive sites with your quotation and you may choose your favorite options. Our Midland Travel Galapagos experts are able to recommend dive sites for you according to your interests.

Most dive sites in the Galapagos Islands are suitable for beginners. Only for the diving day trip to Gordon Rocks, a minimum experience of 25-30 logged dives is required.

Accommodation in Puerto Ayora.

Day 4 – Iconic Wildlife Ashore

After breakfast, a driver picks you up from the hotel and takes you to a ranch in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. You go on a self-guided hike through the lush highland in search of giant tortoises. You can take pictures with these iconic Galapagos animals and maybe even watch them taking a mud bath. Apart from tortoises, you can also observe different birds like ducks, waders and Darwin finches. As the ground is often muddy, rubber boots will be provided for you.

Travelers who are not claustrophobic enjoy a walk through the impressive lava tunnel at the ranch. You meet with your driver again and before returning to your hotel, you make a quick stop at the Twin Craters to take pictures. This remarkable geological formation is locally known as Los Gemelos.

The driver drops you at the hotel and you can enjoy the afternoon at your leisure. We recommend a visit to the paradisiac beach at Tortuga Bay. The hike to the beach takes approximately 45 minutes and leads through an arid forest. On the way, you can stop at Laguna de las Ninfas, a small brackish lagoon surrounded by three types of mangroves. If you do not want to hike to the beach, you can take a water taxi from the port to the bay.

Accommodation in Puerto Ayora.

Day 5 – Good-Bye Galapagos

If your flight schedule permits it, you can stroll through Puerto Ayora and buy Galapagos souvenirs after breakfast. At a convenient time (3 hours before flight departure), your driver picks you up from your hotel and accompanies you to Baltra airport.